1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to equipment used in auto body repair work. More precisely, the invention relates to devices such as washers which are welded to dents in auto bodies for pull-straightening the body surface. The immediate invention upgrades these devices by providing an elongated oval shaped washer with a tab which can be welded into various shapes and sizes of dents in an automobile body. When the attached washers comprising the immediate invention are pulled the dents are eliminated leaving the washers to be easily removed from the welds with a twisting action. The device is applicable for repairing a variety of vehicular bodies.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
The only known device in current use today for auto body repair work which is similar in function to my invention is a standard metal annular washer. The flat washer is welded on edge into the dent where a metal rod is then passed through the central opening. By pulling up on the ends of the rod the attached washer pulls the dent out of the surface of the car.
Several disadvantages exist with the round washer system primarily due to the annular shape of the device. If an elongated narrow dent exists, several round washers must be welded side by side along the length of the dent, and each pulled separately, one at a time. This often results in an uneven extraction of the dent. Ideally, the washers are welded face to face within an elongated dent where the rod can be passed through all washers and pulled simultaneously. The deepest area of the dent being extracted first, eventually aligning with the rest. This results in a more even distribution of the force and a smoother finished result. If a small narrow dent exists, the rounded edge of the washer will often times not lie flush on the floor of that dent due to the diameter of the washer edge. After the dents have been reduced, removal of the round washers from the exterior of the car is also sometimes difficult. The relatively large surface area of the edge of the washer makes it difficult to accurately judge a sufficient weld. Unless the weld is made directly adjacent the area of the washer which receives the pulling force, the alignment of the pull will not be straight. This creates an uneven stress on the weld which in effect is pulling it to one side. Therefore too strong an attachment is often made to overcome this problem. When the weld is too strong a rotational twist will sometimes bend the washer and a side to side lateral bending could cause a rippling in the body surface of the car.
My invention overcomes disadvantages of using regular washers welded to car body damage for repairing. I provide an elongated oval washer with a weld tab which is far easier to use than a plain washer. The device and the advantages of the device are described in the following specification.